


Perfect Tense

by edgarallanrose



Series: Season 13 Codas and Ficlets [14]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: (but I have hope we will eventually), (until then...fanfiction), 13x23, Castiel Angst, Coda, Episode Related, Episode Tag, Episode: s13e23 Let the Good Times Roll, Gap Filler, M/M, Yes this includes the possession scene we did not get
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-13 22:36:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14757579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edgarallanrose/pseuds/edgarallanrose
Summary: Angels do not cry, or so Cas had been told, but it wouldn’t be the first time he shed a tear for Dean Winchester.Episode Coda for 13x23: Let the Good Times Roll





	Perfect Tense

**Author's Note:**

> What's that, you say? Another belated episode coda from Edgarallanrose? Anywho, for the last time of season 13 this is...unbeta'd, spoilers. Title from "Since You're Gone" by The Cars.

Castiel sat on the step between the library and the war room, staring at the spot where Dean had vanished moments before.

He had spread Michael’s wings and given Cas one last look.

“Be back soon,” he had said.

And then he was gone.

Cas believed in Dean, but the tight constriction in his chest would not relent. The deep sensation of loss was creeping up his spine and taking hold of his throat.

Angels do not cry, or so Cas had been told, but it wouldn’t be the first time he shed a tear for Dean Winchester.

There were footsteps behind him. Cas continued to stare at the spot.

“It got quiet, what happened?” Mary asked.

Bobby stepped past him, inspecting Michael’s old vessel.

“Is he…?”

“Not dead, no,” Cas said.

His voice was scratchy. Choked. Mary stood in front of him and tried to hold his gaze.

“What happened? Where is everyone?”

“Lucifer took Jack. He took Sam. It was the only way.” Cas could not look away from that spot.

“Cas, what was the only way? You’re scaring me.”

“Dean is Michael’s new vessel.”

Bobby stared. Mary’s lip trembled. “What…what exactly does that mean?”

“They made a deal,” Cas explained. “Dean would still be conscious and in control of his body, but Michael could possess him in order to use his powers to defeat Lucifer.”

“And he thought that would work?” Bobby asked, incredulous.

“Maybe it did,” Cas said, though he knew his voice conveyed no real hope.

Bobby scoffed and muttered something along the lines of, “Damn fool,” under his breath.

Mary sat down on the step next to Cas and put her head in her hands.

“Did Dean ever tell you how we met?” Cas asked.

“He said you rescued him. From Hell.”

“Did he tell you why?”

Mary shook her head.

“It was not out of any kindness on my part, or altruism. I was just a soldier following orders. Heaven needed to save Dean Winchester in order for him to fulfill his divine purpose. At the time I didn’t know exactly all the details, but I had an idea.”

Mary didn’t interrupt, only looked up at Cas with wet eyes. Bobby had been conspicuously trying not to listen from across the room but had given up and went to sit by them instead. Cas continued.

“I often wondered why Heaven sent me. There were higher ranking officials if they wanted somebody with more security clearance, and there were those lower than me if they wanted somebody expendable. I already had a history of disobedience. But perhaps that’s why it had to be me. The insubordinate angel and the rebellious human. They needed someone to be able to relate to Dean, help him eventually accept his fate as the Michael sword, his true vessel. Of course, he did not, and I in turn rebelled against Heaven. For him. I knew it was Dean and not Michael who I wanted to follow, that I had to protect him at all costs. And we won, and it’s been so many years and now –”

At some point Cas had started to cry in earnest. Mary was holding him, like she would hold one of her own boys. Cas hoped against hope that she would be able to hold her boys again.

“Dean will be alright,” Mary said. “You said yourself, he was in control. And if he needs a little rescuing, well, you’ve done it before, haven’t you?”

“You’re right,” Cas said, collecting himself. “Of course. I just never expected this day to come. Seeing him like that…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, but Mary seemed to understand.

“Did he say anything to you beforehand? Anything that might help?”

They had talked, but only briefly. Cas had dragged Dean away from Michael to the kitchen.

_“Let’s think about this,” Cas had said._

_“There’s no time.”_

_“We spent years avoiding Michael before, and now you’re going to say yes? Just like that?”_

_“We may have been able to avoid the apocalypse before when I didn’t say yes, but we didn’t kill Lucifer and, if you’ve forgotten, we didn’t save Sam,” Dean hissed. “This is our chance. We will save them and end him. For good this time.”_

_“Dean…”_

_“You saw how weak Michael looks,” Dean said. He had taken a hold of Cas’ shoulders at this point. “I can keep it under control. I can do this. You know why?”_

_“Why?” Cas could barely get the sound past his lips._

_“Because I belong to you, Cas,” Dean said. “Don’t you know that? He can’t keep me because I’m yours and I will always come back to you. Understand?”_

_Cas nodded but still couldn’t look Dean in the eye. Dean tilted his chin up gently._

_“I will come back home to you, Castiel. I promise.”_

_And Dean had kissed him. But not in a way that said, ‘see you later.’ It felt desperate, needy._

_Dean was trying to convince himself as much as he wanted to convince Cas._

_Regardless of his misgivings, Cas still returned to the war room with Dean._

_Cas held his hand as he said yes._

“No,” Cas told Mary. “Nothing important.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well, there it is folks. Season 13! Thus ending this collection of ficlets (which I hope you enjoyed) and truly one of the best seasons we've have in a while imho. Long live Dabb Era!
> 
> Don't be a stranger during hellatus! My hope is to continue posting over the summer (and perhaps even in a larger variety of fandoms) but the truth is I will also have to start actively working on my DCBB fic now!! So if I'm MIA on here for a while...that would be why. 
> 
> But PLEASE keep up with me over on [tumblr dot com](http://edgarallanrose.tumblr.com/)! And if you would like to share this fic on tumblr you can reblog [this post.](http://edgarallanrose.tumblr.com/post/174278769735/perfect-tense-edgarallanrose-supernatural)
> 
> SHAMELESS PLUG: Another thing you can do if you'd like to see more works from me during the dreaded HELLATUS, is by buying me a ko-fi!! I will be writing a short ficlet (800ish words, like the fic you just read) for the first five people to donate!! The details are on [this post](http://edgarallanrose.tumblr.com/post/172426858335/buy-edgarallanrose-a-coffee) if you'd like to look into it or spread the word. By no means should you feel obligated to do so, I am very thankful to all of my readers <3
> 
> Love y'all, enjoy your summer!


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